


Mixing Together Never Seemed Better - Bonus! :3

by kxdlola120



Series: Café au! - Xiuchen :) [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Cafe AU, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Smut, baristas and waiters, dumb dae, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 04:23:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16569596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kxdlola120/pseuds/kxdlola120
Summary: What happens to friends at EXO's café, after the original story! :)





	Mixing Together Never Seemed Better - Bonus! :3

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to read the first part, you can read it here - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14120565 :)

"Jongdae, will you stop?!"

Minseok grumbles, already at the door of the café, ready to push the other off and enter without him. He's just moments from pushing the door open when his annoying— his annoying what?—grumbles behind him about their late night escapades.

Minseok stops abruptly at the thought, sensing Jongdae moving behind him, stopping with talking too when he doesn't open the door, and instead waits. 

"Minnie? Are you okay?" Jongdae asks, patting him on the shoulder when Minseok doesn't answer. Like being woken from a deep slumber, Minseok jolts from the touch, looking between Jongdae's worried expression, and the metal handle still in his hand. 

When Baekhyun waves through the window of the café, he finally pushes at it, entering. Even from the entrance point, there's pungent, sweet scent of coffee and pastries wafting through the space, that Minseok forgets his doubts in a second.

Or maybe he focuses on a different problem at hand, when Jongdae starts complaining to Baekhyun right off the bat.

"Minnie doesn't love me anymore!"

Minseok stops to stare at the scene, ignoring the effect those words have on him. Jongdae seems to be the person who just throws words around without even feeling the weight of some of them, and those ones are in the same category as well. 

Love... It's too early, yet Minseok can't help but wonder...

He has to dismiss the thought, yet again, because he knows it's just a part of Jongdae's sulky self, and nothing more than that. Those words don't mean the same to everybody, he remembers bitterly. 

So without anything else to add, he moves behind the counter, already grabbing at his apron, ready to start a day. 

Jongdae and his stupid, oblivious self.

"Ohh, what's gotten your panties in a twist, Jong?" Baekhyun moves to the other side of the counter, waiting for their first guests to arrive, already looking dashing in their new uniforms. 

The old ones were too much into the décor of the place, matching with their furniture, so Junmyeon had this idea to spice things up, opting for a darker, almost forest green color for their uniform shirts instead. They also added black dress pants underneath the cream apron as well, and if you'd align them up one next to the other, their little group of staff would look like some figurines in a porcelain shop. 

"Minnie doesn't want to sleep with me anymore." Jongdae says in a response, pouting even more. Everything is just for the show, as everybody has learned when it came to their other barista, but Baekhyun still squeezes at his cheek, pulling at the soft squish. 

And Minseok's not even surprised by their laundry being out in the open, because he's still learning to accept how Jongdae doesn't know a way to keep his mouth shut when it comes to their personal life. 

Besides, their café worked together on everything, and there were some stuff being revealed that really should've stayed hidden. Like that time when Luhan expressed all the ways Yixing liked to get down.... and dirty. So dirty.

"I'm surprised he even allowed you to come close, yet alone sleep with you." Baekhyun smirks, winking when Minseok scoffs, just in time for his boyfriend to come around. 

"Hello, my loves." Chanyeol yells for everybody to hear, unusually giddy for this early in the morning, but only stops to kiss Baekhyun on the cheek. "What's up?"

"Minnie-hyung stopped putting out, and Dae's upset." His boyfriend provides the answer instead, while Jongdae still looks scandalized at the previous accusation. 

Chanyeol smirks at the situation and hugs Baekhyun from behind. "Took him long enough." The couple shares a high-five when Jongdae yells. 

"That's not the point! And fyi! This body is to die for and many would be happy to—"

"I can't give you what you want!" Minseok starts yelling to defend his honor, but eventually ends the sentence with a dip in his voice, coming down to a whisper. He feels embarrassed all over.

Baekhyun raises a brow at that, looking at Jongdae again. "What type of unholy, stale, ghastly thing have you asked from our hyung?"

Minseok doesn't answer, not like he could, because gross, but Jongdae doesn't have a problem with it. He shrugs, and adds like it's totally normal to ask this from your boyfriend. 

"I wanted to lick caramel off his—"

"Ugh, Jongdae, it's too early!"

The front door opens with a jingle of the bell hanging from the above, before a grumpy Kyungsoo makes his way in, already disgusted at the scene they've witnessed. He's being followed close by Jongin, as the couple stops at the counter too, both still too sleepy to function. 

"Has Jongin spent the night again, hmm, Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun focuses on their other couple that's subject to his recent teasing, and raises a brow. "He was wearing that shirt yesterday, too."

Kyungsoo looks down at his shoes, kicking at the invincible dust, as he collects himself enough to look him in the eyes. "Shut up, Baekhyun. Nobody wants to hear your voice this early in the morning."

Their main pâtissier moves along the way, finding his usual work place behind a revolving door with a big kitchen written in bold. Jongin's behind him as well, but he stops to smile wickedly with his coworkers.

"We stayed up watching this new show about best pastries and sweets from around the world." Jongin beams at the discovery, wanting to share the enthusiasm with the rest of them, but gets blank stares in the end.

"We thought you two fucked?" Chanyeol yells when the shock is over and Jongin's moving to the kitchen as well.

The younger turns to them, smiling even wider, almost blushing in his tan cheeks, and pushes the door with his behind. "Oh, but we did!"

When the revolving door swings back to its usual position, closing the view of the kitchen, Baekhyun turns back to their colleagues, snapping Jongdae upside the head. 

"You're really gross, how could you do that with our hyung?"

When everybody moves to their respective places, Jongdae finally wakes up, being on a verge of losing it. So naturally, he wails. Loudly. 

"Yah!"

 

☕☕☕

 

Even with the whole day passing, Minseok couldn't stop thinking about it. The café is only about ten minutes from closing, and there are still a couple of customers present. But they are all picking their stuff up, paying at the cashier and leaving tips at the door. Minseok smiles to each, wishing them a good night, and a safe trip home, but he feigns a honest smile towards everyone. 

When he looks at the empty space, he finally sighs out. 

"Hey, you okay?" Kyungsoo goes out through the kitchen door, already carrying a mop in one hand, and a bucket filled with some scented water in other. 

Minseok looks up to see his coworker walking around, picking at the chairs being thrown around, and doesn't say anything. And how could he? He doesn't know where to begin, honestly. 

He's been going over this over and over again in his head, and he still doesn't have a solution to anything. Jongdae doesn't see him as a boyfriend, Minseok thinks briefly when Kyungsoo looks up from taking the bucket further into the café, and smiles sadly at the shorter. 

Maybe. Maybe he doesn't see him as anything more than a fuck slash colleague, but how could he express his worries to Kyungsoo. If the man ever heard of it, Minseok's sure he'd be the one to pull Jongdae by the ear out of the storage room where he is currently, and threaten him to apologize. 

So Minseok stays silent for now, going back to wipe at the coffee machines they've been using all day. They aren't short on staff anymore, but both him and Jongdae still wanted to stay for a couple of weeks longer, until their two new baristas get the gist of the place, orders and just overall feel of the café they're working at now. 

And that is why he's still the one opening the place, and then closing it in the end, with Kyungsoo and Jongin still working together in both shifts, and Baekhyun and Chanyeol still being their main waiters. 

Their other couple of waiters, that being Luhan and Yixing, were on a paid leave at the moment, leaving their shifts to Baekhyun and Chanyeol, and nobody still hasn't guessed how did they pry that out of their bosses. 

But nobody minds, really.

"Seok?" When Minseok looks behind his shoulder, he sees Kyungsoo leaning on the counter for orders, asking for a piece of his mind. Turning against himself, Minseok wipes his hands on the rag he has hanging from his apron pocket and turns around, leaning on the little sink in the corner. 

Kyungsoo knocks on the counter—strong, cheddar wood—and blinks. "Are you okay?" He repeats the question like he hasn't said it before, but this time not going back to cleaning. 

Minseok wonders briefly where the rest of their colleagues went, but forgets about it when he realizes that Kyungsoo's still waiting. 

"I'm fine." Eventually, he says, shaking his head a bit to clear out the fog. "Everything's fine. I'm just tired."

"Are you sure?" Kyungsoo asks, and his friend isn't usually the one that pries—everybody does the job so well instead—that Minseok's caught thinking he's been really obvious for Kyungsoo to ask even more than just the simple question of is something wrong. 

He's cracking under pressure of his thoughts already, and now with adding Kyungsoo's wondering eyes, Minseok doesn't stand a chance. But he still doesn't want to give his thoughts a chance to see the light of day. 

So instead, he comes closer to the shorter, getting even closer when Kyungsoo doesn't back away. "Can I ask you something."

Kyungsoo nods, relaxing. "Of course."

"Are you two...?" But he doesn't know how to voice it out.

"Us two? As in Jongin and me?" Thank god Kyungsoo has some common sense and connects the dots quick enough. 

"Are you two..." Minseok starts off once again, but finds simple words in the end. "Together?"

Kyungsoo smiles at the corner, that one corner when he tries not to smile full blown, and nods. Proudly so. "We've been together for seven months now, Seok."

Minseok blinks. Has it been that long?

If Kyungsoo and Jongin have been dating for seven months now, that means that he and Jongdae have been messing around for a little bit over five months as well. And that means that in those five months, neither has started a talk about where they stand. Minseok frowns.

"Seok?"

"Oh, it's just silly thoughts, you know.." Minseok grumbles under his breath, taking the rag from his pocket and starts working on the counter. 

"Is this about Jongdae?"

Minseok stops wiping, looking at the wrinkles in the rag that has been used too many times, and feels the same. 

"I... don't know."

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to speak, but they hear voices coming from the kitchen, until two heads pop out, walking out with trash bags filled to the brim and tied at the top. 

Kyungsoo yells at them as soon as they get out. "Hey, we have a back alley for a reason." 

"Well, we do. But this genius locked us in." Baekhyun picks at the bags he's holding and grumbles under his breath. Adding a small, almost petty, "Again."

Chanyeol smiles guilty, pushing Baekhyun through the front door first. When they exit, both Kyungsoo and Minseok watching as they hold two many bags, balancing each carefully, Kyungsoo turns to him once again. 

But Minseok beats him to it, pushing the rag back into his pocket. "Good talk."

 

☕☕☕

 

"Hey, Minnie, do you have any popcorn?" 

Minseok hums under his breath when Jongdae yells from the kitchen, flipping the channels on his TV absentmindedly. 

It's an end of another day, and their shifts' switched from two to just one a day, so both Minseok and Jongdae got to go back to their normal schedule, getting some extra time to share together outside work. 

Currently, they are preparing to watch some late television in Minseok's apartment, with both of their shifts ending at the same time. Jongdae was the one to suggest that they should continue working together in the same shift, because they've become so used to the other one in the workspace, it would be too much to change it now. And both Sehun and Junmyeon agreed with it. 

So they took the second shift today, contemplating earlier what to do afterwards, when Minseok suggested some movie time. But Jongdae complained how they've already watched most of the movies that came out this year and a year before, so eventually they agreed on some reality shows. 

"I don't see it." Jongdae's head pops out through the kitchen door, as Minseok giggles and points at the top left shelf visible from the couch. 

"It's right there, Dae." 

Jongdae hums in a little 'Super Mario caught a mushroom' way and goes back to rummage for a bag or two. 

Minseok almost jumps from his skin when there's a kiss at his cheek suddenly, coming from the back. "Pick a flavor, Minnie." Jongdae's leaning over the backrest of the couch, smiling that Cheshire cat smile, that Minseok can't help but laugh. 

"Anything is fine."

"Butter it is." Jongdae sneaks another kiss, this time giving the older a chaste kiss on the lips, as he goes back to prepare the snack.

Minseok relaxes into the couch, smiling secretly to himself. Everything of Jongdae's is sweet, sometimes annoying, but never boring. Like these random pops of endearment that Minseok can't help but fall for. 

Jongdae comes back to the living room with two bowls filled to the brim with popcorn, taking most of the available space of Minseok's couch. "What's on?"

Minseok flips back to the channel with some reality show neither has checked out yet, and explains. "I don't know what this is, but seems interesting enough."

Jongdae hums, pushing one bowl to the coffee table in front, as he turns to give him a soft smile and a nod. "Okay, let's watch it."

Sharing one bowl of butter popcorn doesn't seem like a good idea to Minseok, because there's literally another one laying forgotten on the table before them, and he voices it out. 

"Why don't you give me the other bowl?"

Jongdae stops with a popcorn at his lips, raising his brows. "We can share this one first."

"It's easier like that, though." Minseok shrugs, looking back to the TV. The show is halfway through, and it's not quite boring, to be honest. But nothing with Jongdae could ever be boring. 

When he doesn't answer, Minseok turns to look at Jongdae again, finding him munching on the salty treat in silence. "Dae?"

"I thought it would be romantic to share it.." He smiles softly, down to the bowl that's half eaten already, and shrugs. He smiles embarrassed at the thought, and these little quirks confuse Minseok to no end. 

It's easy to forget how Jongdae has a hard exterior where he could be the biggest jokester ever. But more than once, he surprises with his softer side, the more kind and attentive one, that Minseok, again, can't help but fall for. 

So he smiles softly, nuzzling closer to Jongdae's side. He sighs out when Jongdae gives him a look, but he feels so shy to look him in the eye. So Minseok just leans down on his shoulder, stuffing his whole face with a full grab of popcorn, whispering only for Jongdae to hear. "You're too cute for words."

Jongdae smiles, he feels as much, and kisses softly at his crown. "You're the one to say."

 

☕☕☕

 

"I'm so happy that you've joined us! And I hope you like it here as well!" Junmyeon pats two young men on the shoulders as he says it, looking up to meet his friends and employees' eyes. "And please, treat these guys with respect, everyone."

Minseok watches as his new fellow baristas bow down for being officially added to the mix of their café, smiling when the taller one blushes. Apparently, the two newcomers had a conversation on who would be the one to thank them, and the taller pulled the shorter draw. He stands up straighter when the shorter pushes him to the front, and clears his throat.

"Thank you for accepting us. We hope we don't disappoint!" He bows down once again, being followed by the shorter one that smiles cutely when they part ways. Junmyeon goes back to his office, after officially welcoming their two new baristas to the family, as he said it, and dismisses everyone to go back to their respective stations. 

Mark walks first behind the counter, being followed by Haechan. They seem nervous out of their skin, like they haven't been working here for the last two weeks, and Minseok smiles when Haechan asks is there anything that needs to be done.

"Relax. It's just making coffee." 

Mark splutters at that, looking adorably scared and offended. "Just making coffee? I would be working alongside my idol, that's not just making coffee."

Just in time, Jongdae makes his way in from the storage, smiling when there are three people waiting rather than just one. "Oh, are you getting your own shifts?"

Mark blushes when Jongdae asks, looking between him and Haechan. This is too much for him, because it's been a dream of his to work with the creator of his favorite brew. The younger has said it himself before, back then when they first started training, and Minseok thought it was too cute for words.

"I— Sir, we—" But Mark stutters, not knowing how to talk to Jongdae, just yet, and scratches at his head. "Aish.."

Fortunately, Haechan butts in. "What Mark failed to say," A quick, shady glance at his coworker, before Haechan adds smiling. "Please take care of us!"

He bows first, being followed by Mark who bends down to almost kissing the floor beneath, and Jongdae has to laugh. 

"Relax, kid. It's just coffee." Mark splutters again, after hearing exact words for the second time, but he doesn't have it in him to reprimand Jongdae too. After all, the man is a legend in his eyes. 

When the two newcomers go to the coffee machines, making sure they're both clean and working properly—taking the job too seriously, if you asked their veteran baristas—Minseok turns to Jongdae's side. 

"I think the kid has a little crush on you."

Jongdae laughs when he looks at Haechan scolding Mark for being too nervous, and cages Minseok to the counter with both his hands on each side. "Please, you were the same. If not worse."

Minseok gasps, offended. "I did not have a crush on you!"

"Minnie, it was too obvious sometimes.." He glances around before coming closer to whisper at Minseok's lips. "But don't worry, I was crushing on you too." Jongdae winks, seconds away from kissing him on the lips when the front door jingles with a newcomer.

'Are you still?' Minseok thinks briefly, just when Jongdae turns around to cater to their first customer for the day, catching himself in staring at the man. He's all crinkles, cheeks dipping in pudginess on top of his smiles, and Minseok feels like Mark all over sudden. 

'Or did it become something more?' He could only hope. 

 

☕☕☕

 

"How about we all go for a drink tonight?"

Minseok places the last saucer on the drying rack, turning off the water from the little faucet tucked in the corner of his workspace. When he turns around, most of the café is already cleaned, dusted and rearranged in place. Baekhyun and Chanyeol just finished with their work, coming closer to lean on the counter. 

It's Baehyun that asks, calling for Kyungsoo and Jongin as well. 

"We can all celebrate our new additions." 

They all feel tired beyond belief—it was oddly busy day at the café—and Minseok could only think about heating up leftover pasta from last night. 

But when everyone gathers around the counter, he contemplates ditching the night out. It's been too long since they all hanged out outside work, and little alone time with his friends could use all of them. 

"I don't see why not." Kyungsoo answers for him and Jongin, when he makes sure Jongin's willing too, and turns to the others.

Chanyeol nods, asking their youngest workers, getting two head nods. 

"We're in." Haechan smiles, happy with the idea to see his new colleagues out in the town. 

"The first round's on us." Junmyeon pulls Sehun to the café area, smiling when his friends whoop for the idea. 

Minseok hears someone yelling—probably Baekhyun—'I'm gonna order some fancy cocktail then' and turns to see Jongdae missing. He moves his head to the sides, trying to find the man among their friends, but doesn't see anything.

"You up, Seok?" Kyungsoo pats him on the shoulder to get his attention, and then realizes it too. "And where's Dae?"

They share a look around, not finding one noisy little man and turn to Minseok instead. "Has he said anything?"

"No.." Minseok trails off, but pushes them out of the café, reminding them to just text him the place they'd be at. Baekhyun brings him in a hug, stealing a bun from the shelves behind the counter, as everybody bids their goodbyes, leaving in tows. 

When the front door closes with a jingle, Minseok looks around once again, trying to hear any noise instead. But after checking his phone, he goes around the café, walking in to see the bathroom as well, but finds nothing in the end. 

Just as he tries calling him, he sees the back door through the kitchen opened up, with a siluete sitting down.

Minseok smiles, because he should've looked at their little patio at the back first, because when he knocks on the door, Jongdae greets him.

"Minnie!" He exclaims loudly, pulling the door open for Minseok to walk out, and then offers him a seat, the other patio chair sitting next to his. 

"Thanks."  

When they both sit down, Minseok takes a look around, finding the same bustling main street not that far off. The air is filled with muffled noise, car honks and just busy night life of their city. But in here... in here is always calm, like sitting outside the bubble that's about to burst. 

"What are you doing here? We were looking for you..." Minseok accepts the drink from Jongdae's hand, taking a sip of cooled down lemonade. He must've made it on his way through the kitchen. 

"Thinking.." Jongdae shrugs, swallowing around the glass, face sour from the taste. "This could use some more sugar."

"If Kyungsoo comes back tomorrow and finds anything missing..." Minseok jokes, sharing a laugh when Jongdae counts the ingredients he's already taken from the shorter's workspace. 

"Anyway, what's up? What's on your mind?" They share the glass until it's empty; Jongdae leaving it on the floor beside his feet.

The younger hums thoughtfully, glancing at Minseok. When he looks back, he's smiling that cat smile, and he laughs, knowing something's up his sleeve.

"Jongdae~ Spill!"

"I've been thinking... about... you!"

Minseok blanches. "Me!?" It sounds too good to be true. 

"Yeah?" Jongdae scratches above his lips, not being able to keep a straight face. "Is it not allowed?"

"It is, it is... just..." Minseok trails off, suddenly feeling shy. This was not the night he'd wanted to talk this over. 

"Just... that you're too shy to admit you like it when I think about you.." Jongdae teases, sliding closer to nudge Minseok's shoulder, getting a spluttered mess of his nerves as a response. 

"Shut up!" But it's too hard to talk about it. Just like with Kyungsoo, Minseok doesn't know where to start.

So he changes the topic. "Anyway, the boys are out, we're the only ones left."

"Oh?" Jongdae raises a brow on that, but suddenly smirks when Minseok looks back. 

"No, Jongdae." His face falls serious when Jongdae's eyebrows dance in sync, already knowing the devious plan behind those eyes. "We're not fucking in the bathroom."

"But that's always been a dream of mine." The man pouts and it's only natural for Minseok to slap his arm. "Ouch, meanie!"

"Dream bigger, Dae. Really!"

Jongdae shuts up for a moment, before he slowly rolls his head to Minseok's side, giving him the nastiest smirk ever. "You wanna fuck on the counter, then?"

Minseok actually sees the shiver that runs down his spine. 

"Gross."

 

☕☕☕

 

Eventually they lock the café up, already changed in their usual clothes, and decide to walk to the club where the rest of the boys are. It's not too far away from the café, and the night is still toasty enough for a light walk. 

They share a comfortable silence when Jongdae moves first over the crossing zebra, Minseok following close by. When they reach the next street, their swinging hands suddenly clash in the middle, and Jongdae uses the opportunity to grab at Minseok's, holding his palm against his own. 

Minseok smiles at the sentiment, biting his lower lip from laughing full blown, and glances at Jongdae. He's doing the same, only looking to the night sky that's not really visible with the street light, but they still try. 

"This is nice." Minseok comments, feeling the softness of his palm, the warmth of his hand. "We've never done this."

Jongdae shrugs, trying to be nonchalant. "Meh, it's not a big deal."

Minseok feels that little prick at first, but shrugs it off when he remembers that nothing is a big deal to Jongdae. To each their own, he guesses. 

When they arrive at the club, Minseok drops his hand in favor of walking through the narrow hallway, missing when Jongdae looks at him stunned. Maybe it's not 'nothing' after all. 

Their friends are easy to spot, or at least their table, because it has most people around it, drinking away their night. On the way to the back of the club, they run into Baekhyun and Chanyeol sucking faces in the middle of the dance floor, stopping just enough to wave at the newcomers. 

"Heeeeeeeey lovelieeees~" Surprisingly, Junmyeon's the one that slurs the most, yelling over the music when they arrive, as their boss comes in for a group hug with both of them. 

"Thank god you're here." Kyungsoo moves further down into the booth to let them sit down as well, pushing drinks in both of their hands. "Drink, you have to catch up."

The scene wouldn't seem so hilarious, if Junmyeon wasn't slowly but certainly crawling up to stand on the table in front, and Sehun wasn't trying to keep his man in check. 

Their other boss was kneeling on the sofa-like cushions of the booth, trying to pull Sehun up with him.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol were nowhere to be seen, Mark was sleeping on Haechan's shoulder, and Jongin and Kyungsoo were eye-fucking. 

When Jongin comes closer to his boyfriend, sitting halfway in his lap, and starts sucking onto Kyungsoo's neck, Minseok turns to Jongdae. 

"I swear, they left maybe half an hour before us."

Jongdae laughs heartily, clinking their glasses together. "Cheers, babe."

It's vodka mixed with something sour, and Minseok makes a face. Their choice for alcohol might explain the odd behavior after all. Plus the empty glasses all around the table.

The song shifts to something lower, something that drums under your ribcage, and when the lights shift to red and purple, Jongdae gets up. "Come. Dance with me."

"Shouldn't you ask first." Minseok crosses his arms when Jongdae tries to take his hand away, but shudders when Jongdae licks his lips. 

He's in his face in the next second, pressing softly to his lips with his own when speaking, asking slowly and sultry. "Can I have this dance with the most stunning person here?"

And Minseok's at loss of words. 

He gets up, or rather gets pulled up, following Jongdae into the crowd while still holding onto his hand. The mass of bodies dances on each side, but Minseok doesn't see anybody beside Jongdae. 

The man turns around just when the music blasts full on over the speakers, pulling Minseok to his front. They stare each other down, imploring hands moving to touch as much, when Jongdae grabs his waist, slotting their fronts together. 

It's tight, too warm, and he's not drunk enough to dance like this. But Jongdae doesn't mind anything, smirking when Minseok looks down to his lips, asking for a permission. 

Jongdae, apparently, doesn't need it, because he grazes Minseok's back with both palms, stopping at the hem of his shirt to push it up. When warm skin gets in contact with his own, Minseok loses his mind. 

His hands get lost in Jongdae's hair when he pulls him in for a kiss, opening his mouth with force. The bass thrums deep into the core, and Minseok feels bold to try something else. 

He pushes Jongdae's face off, never releasing his lips from his skin, moving to latch onto his skin, just below the right ear-shell. He feels warm from the inside when Jongdae licks his own lips at the treatment, biting at the corner next, as he moves more down, already sucking onto the skin. 

There's a little pink splash of color where his lips has kissed, and Minseok goes back to kissing Jongdae again, proud of his work. 

Their moans are lost somewhere under the music of the place that doesn't stop even for a second, and Minseok swears he would give this man his everything. 

Jongdae pulls him up, more to his lap, still kissing like Minseok's the answer to his questions. His hands, though, move more, exploring the skin he now feels underneath his fingertips, pushing the shirt out of the way. Before he falls down once again, hands moving along the expanse of Minseok's behind. And then he squeezes both cheeks in his palms, smirking when Minseok groans. 

"Fuck.." Minseok's being pushed around, until his back presses up to Jongdae's front, his lips never leaving his skin. They're warm when Jongdae presses from behind, kissing down his exposed shoulder, before moving up to match the pretty moles Minseok's hiding under his ear. 

"How are you so perfect..." It seems like Jongdae's drunk—drunk on the feeling, because he's reckless in his ways, setting fire to Minseok's heart. There are hands, still roaming along Minseok's body, like memorizing each path down and then up, when Jongdae grinds from behind. "The things I wanna do to you..."

Minseok closes his eyes, too drunk to function, letting his mouth hang. There's pure lust, swimming in his mind, but he still feels like nobody else could make him like this—afire, possessive, absolutely wrecked with just lips and soft promises. 

Jongdae whispers at his ear, slow, soft words to melt his insides, and Minseok pushes off, turning back to grab at his cheek and pull him in again. Their teeth clash, lips moving to suck, when Jongdae nibbles on his upper one, loving how Minseok shudders.

It's all for a show, but also for a promise of what's to come, if Minseok's ready to take it. And who in the right mind could say no to this man. 

Jongdae bites playfully at his cheek when Minseok doesn't see it coming and pulls him to the exit. They stop at their booth, collecting things they left behind, saying goodbye to practically nobody since the table is vacant of everybody. 

Minseok doesn't think too much of it, when Jongdae puts on his jacket first, hugging him from behind when the elder tries to do the same. "Do you wanna leave?"

"Yes, please!"

 

☕☕☕

 

It's a mess of limbs when Minseok pushes Jongdae down to his bed, following close by to seal the deal. They're naked in the next moment, because Jongdae's always been the impatient one, practically tearing clothes off. 

When Minseok's back hits the duvet instead, he feels his whole being trembling, set ablaze. Jongdae pulls two things from the drawer next to the pillows, and sets back to kiss everything he sees. 

From Minseok's collarbones, to his sternum, following the natural line of his body until his tongue dips in the bellybutton.  

"Hurry.." Minseok wails above his head, holding the back of Jongdae's head when he goes along the ridges of his ribs. Jongdae kisses slowly when he comes back up, following the rhythm of their hearts, beating only for the other one to feel. 

When he puckers lips around Minseok's brazen pink bud, he loses it. 

"I need you.. Now, Dae…"

Jongdae kisses him again, licking into his lips, as his fingers work getting Minseok's legs apart. They're warm, but sharp against his skin, and the elder naturally splits in the middle, sucking on Jongdae's tongue when the air hits him directly. 

It's like a rippling tide when Jongdae grinds down to get them to full hardness, stuttering a moan when Minseok grabs his hair, pulling at the strands. 

"Fuck me!" 

And Jongdae positively reels. 

He tucks the duvet aside, pushing Minseok more up to the pillows, before mindlessly searching for a bottle of lube, since Minseok doesn't let him breathe even for a moment. 

Jongdae's fingers are cold when he squeezes the lube onto his hand, holding Minseok's inner thigh when he moves in between. They shock his whole body when he presses them close to his rim, testing out how he reacts. When Minseok nods, Jongdae pushes the first one in.

It's not quite a tight fit, since they've been active ever since the beginning, but Jongdae still takes his time before the second and eventually the third digit gets swallowed up. 

And all the while kissing Minseok wherever, watching his reaction. The elder unravels when he kisses at the crook of his thigh, and shudders when Jongdae pulls at the soft skin with his teeth, letting it snap back.

"You're edging me.." 

Jongdae hears the desperation in his voice when he scissors fingers, but still doesn't push them long enough to pleasure him. Minseok's attentive when it comes to his body, but Jongdae has learned along the way how to make him scream, how to piss him off, and finally how to make him see stars. 

So that's why he pulls the fingers out, lathering his hard-on with the leftover lube, and moves to lean across his form. Minseok's already glistening at the tip, being just a couple of steps from the last part, and Jongdae seizes him up. 

"Gorgeous.." He trails off, like not thinking straight. And he probably doesn't, considering Minseok's perfect eyes staring right back, half-mast, ready to take it. 

They kiss again, with Minseok closing in around his middle with both of his legs, just when Jongdae guides himself in, slowly exhaling as he bottoms out. 

And from there on, it's Minseok's game. 

 

☕☕☕

 

"Good morning, sunshine. How's your head?"

Minseok wakes up alone in Jongdae's bed, thinking for a second how the man has left him there after last night. He remembers everything that went down, but he still feels like he was drunk instead of their boss. 

When he looks through the open door, he sees Jongdae moving about in the kitchen, before their eyes lock. 

"Haven't gotten any complaints," Minseok replies dryly, yawning before finishing. He feels sticky, and gross, and maybe they ought've had that shower last night after all.

"Smug ass." Jongdae moves into the room, leaning down on the bed to kiss him on the lips, licking at the bottom when he looks down at Minseok's naked form. "Hmm, if I wasn't so damn hungry, I would've checked your... skills, just to be sure."

Minseok closes one eye, still not fully awake to function, and slowly taps at his cheek. "Feed me first."

When Jongdae smiles, he mimics, and both are out of the bed, with Jongdae's breakfast happily waiting at the dinning room table.

"Whoa, do you have any guests coming?" Minseok scratches at his naked stomach when he sees the amount of food the younger has prepared, and wonders for how long has he been sleeping.

"I have, actually." When Minseok raises his brows, looking down to his boxers-only covered self, Jongdae explains better. "You."

"Me? Am I a guest to you?" He sits down, ignoring how Jongdae cackles, and picks a piece of toasted bread for a bite off the edge. 

"The best!" Jongdae sits down as well, after pouring two cups of freshly made coffee, and when Minseok takes a sip, he remembers how Jongdae's better barista than him. 

"Eat up, we have work in two hours."

Minseok hums, stuffing his face with everything, loving how Jongdae is even better cook than him. A man for everybody's taste, apparently. 

"Maybe someday, we'd be living together, and I wouldn't be your guest." Before stopping himself, Minseok blurts out, stuffing his face more when he realizes what's been said. 

"Oh, what would you be then?" 

If he dared looking up, Minseok would see a smug looking Jongdae, waiting for that winner answer that's been on his mind as of recently. But the same smile falls when Minseok shrugs, seemingly nonchalant. 

"A roommate, I guess."

The rest of the breakfast is spent in silence. Because Minseok feels like an idiot for assuming things, getting his emotions in a way too soon, and Jongdae feels like they're set back once again. 

 

☕☕☕

 

After clearing out the table, Minseok lazes around the living room, waiting for Jongdae to finish with the dishes. 

"You can shower first." Distressed, cut off voice comes through the space, and Minseok feels like he's said something bad. Without having to turn around, Jongdae seems upset, visibly not in his best mood. 

"We can always share."

"Nah.." Jongdae blurts out before realizing his position, trying to patch things up quickly. "I mean, we have to leave in about half an hour, and we wouldn't shower if we went in together." He even sends a quick smile over his shoulder, but Minseok's not convinced. 

"Okay.. Then I'll go first." He says, lingering at the door of his bedroom, waiting for Jongdae to change his mind. But the younger only hums over the sound of water splashing the dishes, and goes back to his work. 

They really need to talk this out soon.

 

☕☕☕

 

"Good morning!" 

It's not even morning still, but Baekhyun's cheery all over. 

"How did you sleep? I see some clothes repetition, hmm Minseok.." 

The couples greet him at the door, walking without another word to their space behind the counter, already picking respective uniforms. One has 'Jongdae' written, while the other says 'Minseok', but neither takes the wrong shirt like they always do. 

Sometimes even, for fun, Jongdae switches their shirts on purpose, loving how people mistake him for Minseok. It makes Minseok happy, as well, when he does. 

They are just in time to see Mark and Haechan taking their jackets on the way out, bowing down respectively when Minseok pats them on the shoulders.

But neither says anything, still, and Baekhyun looks defeated.

"Well.. Okay.." Baekhyun nods, knowing his place, as he leaves them be. He goes back to his boyfriend, leaning solemnly on his side when Chanyeol asks what's wrong. 

"Well.. I'll take the cashier first. And you can..."

"Yeah, I'll take the machines." Jongdae answers Minseok's thoughts, muttering a smile, even a small one, before turning around. Minseok's face falls. 

Just in time for their first customer to arrive. 

"Welcome to Exo, how may I serve you today?"

Minseok works at the machines closer to him, preparing easier drinks that just need a couple of steps into making. He doesn't tear his eyes off the brewing, even when he sees Jongdae in his peripheral vision. The younger hasn't said anything ever since they've started working, and Minseok doesn't know how long he could take it. 

But then Junmyeon walks in with Sehun in tow, and they all share a laugh when their boss rocks those big, black glasses that cover half of his face, walking in like a zombie. 

"Jun-boss, do you wanting something to drink? You seem a bit sunken." Baekhyun's at the counter when the couple walks by, already with endless ideas for teasing. 

Everybody but Junmyeon laugh, even Kyungsoo and Jongin exiting to see when their bosses would arrive.

But as always, Junmyeon tries to seem professional. "I know we've all had a bit to drink—"

"A bit? I've carried you to bed. Changed you in your pajama, even." Sehun scoffs from the side, sharing a laugh when Baekhyun asks if he's peed the bed as well. 

"No, Byun! I haven't!" Junmyeon threatens, but winces when his headache acts up again. Then, in much lower voice, calls for his colleagues again. 

"As I was saying, we've all had too much, and I'd appreciate if everyone tried to be on their best behavior today. Thank you." 

The poor man walks into the kitchen first, leaving everyone behind, waiting. When he sighs out loud enough for everyone to hear, he walks back out again, heading to his office instead.

"That's not it..."

He ignores how everyone bursts out laughing at his mishap, before Sehun wipes at his eyes full of mirth, saying, "I need to check upon him." He winks before leaving, but not without adding one serious note, "But please, don't mess with my man.".

They all go back after that, continuing with work when more people tune in for their after-lunch coffees. As more and more of them pile in the café, Minseok actually doesn't have any time to check with Jongdae after that, trying to catch up with all the orders. 

And they don't even need to talk, after all he just needs to yell the order, and Jongdae's on it in the next second. While the coffee pours into the cups, Jongdae hums under his breath, focusing on his task. Meanwhile, Minseok picks the pastries off the shelves, serving them on platers and cute take-out boxes, just in time for Jongdae to give him the finished cups of freshly brewed coffee, served on matching saucers.

From there on, either Baekhyun or Chanyeol picks it up and takes to the designated table with a customer awaiting. And their job is done. Until the next customer walks in, and they do it all over again. 

So that's why their usual break mid-work finds them both in silence, when Minseok walks to the kitchen first, already carrying his lunchbox. When he sits down on the little patio-chair behind the café, the door opens again, and Jongdae walks out. 

He doesn't see him at first, opting to close the door with a help of his foot, before turning around to see Minseok sitting in his favorite chair. 

"Oh.."

"I can leave, if you—"

Just as Minseok tries to say, Jongdae shushes him, walking to the other chair to sit as well. "You were here first, I'm the one interrupting." He picks at his lunch for today, and eats in silence.

It hurts to hear something like that, but Minseok doesn't know what did he do wrong. They woke up like they usually do, had a shared breakfast and got here by foot, since Minseok had left his car at the parking lot near the café, after walking to the club yesterday. 

Their last night was good too—perfect, if you asked Minseok—and he really doesn't know where he's gone wrong. 

But when his inner-monologue finishes, Jongdae has already eaten his sandwich, walking back to the their station. 

"Jongdae, wait!" Minseok pulls him out when he opens the door to the kitchen, ignoring how Kyungsoo looks up at the noise. 

"What's wrong?"

Jongdae closes the door when they stand face to face, picking at the little barcode on the side of his lunchbox. Minseok gets a sigh as an answer first, before Jongdae looks up.

"Nothing.. I just..." He licks at his lips, contemplating. "I thought that we were doing fine."

Like being burned, Minseok jolts a bit. "We were. We are!" His voice gets deeper, like not understanding where this all is coming from. Because he frankly doesn't. 

Jongdae stills, staying silent for a beat too long, before nodding. More to himself than to him. "Okay." His mouth goes into a thin line, a line that Minseok knows is more for the show, like stopping Jongdae from spilling too much. "Then there's nothing wrong."

He grabs at the door once again, this time walking faster through the kitchen before anyone has a chance of stopping him, but when Minseok follows suit, Kyungsoo's in his way.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" 

Kyungsoo's always been a good friend of his. They've met even before working together, back in college when Kyungsoo had solid plans for his future, and Minseok didn't know where to start. He's been a shoulder to cry on when Minseok failed at his first major, and he was the one to share his joy when Minseok found his passion after all. 

Some might say they were best friends, and that's why Minseok doesn't like lying to him. 

"Can we talk after work?" He asks in return, sensing how Jongin's in the kitchen with them too, and after Kyungsoo nods, not asking more, walks back to the front counter.

 

☕☕☕

 

Baekhyun walks through the café with his black tray tucked under right arm, stopping occasionally to ask if everything's good. He smiles each time when the customer nods, and goes back to the front counter, stopping for a quick chat with Minseok.

Usually this is the time when not that many customers stop by, so their work slows down after hours of being busy. It's one of those moments when Sun settles low on the clouds, casting a warm, natural hue all over the street, as final rays poke through the windows of the café, coloring the atmosphere in dark orange. 

When days slow down, Minseok remembers why he'd started working as a barista in the first place, and when he looks at his friend, they somehow share the sentiment. 

But Baekhyun reminds him once again. "Ahh, this is my favorite time of the day." Baekhyun leans on the counter, watching the street that slows down as well, sighing when Minseok snickers. "Channie loves the time after midnight, when the traffic stops and people go to bed. He says he's inspired the most then."

"He's still making music?" Minseok washes the glasses they've been using till now, clearing the space of the saucers and used napkins. 

"He is!" Baekhyun turns around, smiling proudly. "He's just working on another song for me. It doesn't have a name yet, but he's thinking about 'With you'." 

And Minseok has to smile, showing all his teeth, because Baekhyun seems so happy. 

"What's it about?"

"I dunno, actually. Channie wants me to hear it when he finishes."

And if they aren't the cutest couple in the café, Minseok thinks they're leading. He's had a chance to listen to some of his work, even the last song he's written for Baekhyun, naming it simply 'Heaven', after what his boyfriend is for him, as Chanyeol had explained. 

But Baekhyun doesn't know that their status will change soon, since Chanyeol plans on proposing to him soon.

On that thought Minseok beams even wider, glancing when Baekhyun turns around, humming to one of the first songs that Chanyeol's written. 

And like the day going back to night, they go back to their work. 

 

☕☕☕

 

"Good night, everyone!" Sehun yells when Junmyeon and him leave for the door, promising to be in a better shape for tomorrow. Junmyeon hasn't taken his glasses off the whole day, and there's a bet going around on how long he's been sleeping in their shared office throughout the day. 

Sehun has said how he's gonna spill the beans tomorrow, but judging by his bid of four hours, he's certainly the winner. 

Minseok collects the last cup to wash, going around the place afterwards to help Baekhyun with cleaning. Chanyeol has had a first shift and only a half of the second, because of some doctor's appointment, and Kyungsoo and Jongin are clearing out the kitchen. 

It's a quiet atmosphere, until Baekhyun brings out his phone and blasts some of the older hits of SNSD. 

"Oh, this is my jam!" He straddles the broom when 'Gee' comes up, singing even the intro. 

"You say that for every song!" Minseok laughs, yelling over the music, when Baekhyun climbs the closest chair, imitating Taeyeon perfectly. 

"You gotta respect the queens, man."

Kyungsoo walks out to dance to the second part of the song, knowing the words perfectly as well. Minseok watches amused, when even Jongin comes out, mimicking their choreography to all shifts in the dance and even cute acting. 

"Minseok, we're missing our Seohyun!" Baekhyun calls when the song changes, and Jongin whines from the side.

"Hey, I thought I was Seohyun!"

"Please, you're clearly Hyoyeon!"

Just when the second song comes to the finale, Jongdae walks out from taking out trash, finding his coworkers in a mess of dances and singing.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"And now we have our Sooyoung too!" Baekhyun jumps from the chair, going around to pull him in too, missing when Minseok stops dancing, his smile slowly fading. 

Even with singing 'I got a boy' passionately, Kyungsoo doesn't miss it.

So when the songs stops, and an intro for another begins, Kyungsoo pulls him to the side. Still watching his friends messing around, Minseok walks behind the counter with Kyungsoo, looking over when the shorter bumps their shoulders.

"Hey..."

"Hey, yourself.."

Kyungsoo takes the rag from underneath, wiping at the counter, when Minseok sighs out, following his ways. They pretend to be distracted with work, not missing when Jongin gets a solo part with Baekhyun hollering 'go Jong, go Jong' in the back.

"Do you know where to start?" Kyungsoo tells him, switching hands with wiping. 

They're making a lot of noise, but Minseok still hears him. But when he looks at Jongdae, Kyungsoo reads his mood. "Is it Jongdae?"

"Yeah.."

Kyungsoo hums, looking over to their friend. "Does it have to do something with your talk today?"

"Did you hear us?"

Kyungsoo shakes his head. "No, but Jongin asked what's wrong with you two lately. So I winged it."

And they've really been obvious. 

"I don't know... where we stand." He's been thinking about this for so long, and yet this is the first time to voice it out. It feels revealing, but also liberating. Kyungsoo hums, stopping with wiping. He wouldn't judge, and he doesn't when he turns to look at him better.

"Have you asked him?"

And it's stupid, but Minseok hasn't. He doesn't want to read the situation wrong, because they've never said what they were getting into. Jongdae likes him, and Minseok likes him back, but as of recently, his feelings have been changing. And it frightens him to no end. 

"Do I have to?"

Kyungsoo cracks a smile, exhaling through his nose. "Well, you don't. But if it bugs you this much, maybe it's for the best."

"What if he doesn't feel the same? And I ruin something that's been going well."

Kyungsoo hums in response, looking over to Baekhyun leaving his life on the stage with the dance to a Super Junior song that everybody knows by heart. 

"Well, if you two aren't talking honestly, then how good has it been going really?"

When Minseok looks at Jongdae, the man is smiling ear to ear, trying to follow with little bits of the song nobody sings, and he feels defeated all of a sudden. 

"He hasn't been smiling with me like that.. Not lately, at least."

"Seok, it's obvious you both have a lot on your minds. And somebody needs to break the ice first."

"Why does it have to be me?"

Kyungsoo throws the rag at him, hitting him on the chest, laughing. "Okay, don't do it then."

"But..."

"But... you need to talk, right?"

Minseok only nods. It's due, or rather, overdue. 

Still...

"Have you and Jongin talked about it?"

"Jongin's like an open book, that I know how to read very well. If something bothers him, I can tell right away. And when I ask, he's ready to tell almost immediately. The same goes with me, as well. We don't play games."

He didn't want to sound so harsh, but somehow he does, and Kyungsoo regrets immediately. "I'm sorry. That was out of line from me, and—"

"You're right, though." Minseok smiles to the counter, picking at the rag. "I shouldn't compare my relationship to other relationships, and instead work on mine."

There's a comforting hand on his shoulder, rubbing when Minseok sighs, closing his eyes. "Everybody has their tempo, whether it comes to relationships or your own. You just need to adjust it to your significant other. And if you both want the same things, then nothing's stopping you from being truly happy."

"What if we don't want the same things, though?"

Minseok looks up to Kyungsoo when he stays quiet, dreading the answer. "Well..." Kyungsoo shrugs with one shoulder, mulling over words. "Then it's not meant to be."

 

☕☕☕

 

That night, Minseok goes home. Without anyone following him to his car, snuggling close when Minseok starts the engine, whining about being too cold. Without anyone occupying all of his bed when he goes to shower, and without anyone kissing him goodnight. 

And he feels lonely, for the first time in months. 

Somewhere along this time spent with Jongdae, the younger's gotten under his skin more than Minseok wanted or hoped for. Not to be dramatic, but he was certain Jongdae has become that little jump of his heart, that happened whenever the younger did anything. 

But his mind was tired, his heart was overthinking everything, and Minseok allowed himself to be cheesy. Even for the night. 

He goes for a quick shower, shuddering when he lays down in a cold, empty bed, and turns to the side where the sky is lithered with stars. Everything reminds him of Jongdae, and if this is how he feels now, with Jongdae still present in his life, he doesn't want to imagine it without him. 

The clock on his phone reads half past two in the morning when he checks it, and he doubts Jongdae's still awake. Still, he can't go to sleep without even a message of goodnight. 

To: Dae-machine<3  
Idk if you're still awake, but  
I hope this doesn't wake you  
up. Anyways, I know you don't   
like to go to bed without a kiss  
so this is it. Goodnight, Dae. :)

Minseok waits for an answer, hoping that the message goes through after all, but gets nothing in return. So he turns to the other side, ignoring the persistent stars and shuts his eyes tightly. 

 

☕☕☕

 

"Welcome to Exo, what can I get you?"

Minseok doesn't listen to the customer that starts talking with Jongdae, working the cashier today, as he goes back to working on the foam of the next drink. He's just finishing up when Jongdae calls for him, ordering their first brew ever that they've created together. 

"One Minchen coming right up." He smiles at the name, thinking Jongdae will too, since the brew's gotten famous pretty quickly, but gets nothing in response. 

Jongdae goes back to humming under his breath, taking two muffins from the shelves closer to the cashier, ignoring how Minseok stops and stares. 

Eventually, he goes back to preparing the recipe he knows by heart, feeling sad when Jongdae doesn't remember it. 

When he hands it over, Jongdae smiles, but is cut short when another customers walks to the counter. 

"Welcome to the Exo, what can I—"

"Dae? Jongdae?"

Minseok turns to see the scene, in the middle of wiping at the machines, seeing a tall man standing across, dressed in a simple pea coat. He's smiling ear to ear, and it piques his interest.

"Omo, Jaehyeon?" Jongdae yells in response, going around the counter to greet the man properly. "Is it really you?" They hug briefly, with a half-tuck of faces in each other's necks, and Minseok sees it through. 

"How have you been? I haven't seen you in so long." That Jaehyeon guy is tall, taller than Jongdae, and both smile widely when Jongdae pats his arm softly.

"I've been good. I'm working here now." He looks around the café, showing it proudly. That brings Jaehyeon's eyes to Minseok as well, when he nods as a greeting. Minseok doesn't move. "What's up with you? Still working on websites?"

"Ah, you know me. Always working.." They share a laugh once again, a comforting one, like old friends reuniting again after years, and Minseok walks closer to the counter. 

"Hey, what can I get you?" He asks, getting both of their attention. Jongdae doesn't say anything, and instead turns to the tallest, asking too. He skips introducing Minseok when Jaehyeon orders, and they go back to talking when he turns around to brew it. Minseok feels disappointed when that tall guy asks instead.

"So, are you still around here?"

"Yeah, I moved a couple of years ago to the neighborhood close by, and I love it. Are you back in town?"

"Well, not permanently, but if something changes, then I don't have a problem with staying."

Minseok hears Jongdae's laugh the response gets, and sighs out at the easiness they have with each other. Fortunately for his curiosity, Baekhyun walks closer to the counter when the customer doesn't take a seat, and turns to Jongdae.

"Hey, is your friend sitting down?"

Jongdae laughs with his friend, holding his tummy when Jaehyeon answers. "This is not the first time they've mistaken it."

Jongdae explains it better. "Jae here is my ex, actually." 

Minseok drops the saucer. 

"Your ex, huh?" Baekhyun asks, turning to look at Minseok, who's busy with cleaning the broken shreds. Neither likes how they're still on nicknames. "How long have you been together for?"

"Umm, about two years?"

Jaehyeon corrects his ex-boyfriend. "One year and nine months, actually."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot we broke up before Christmas."

"That was the worst holiday ever," Jongdae's ex laughs, as they reminisce about lost time, but Baekhyun feigns a chuckle.

"Yeah? And why did you two break up, then?"

They think for a moment, before Jongdae answers. "I think we were both too young, and we had better things to focus on."

"Yeah, we were both in college still, and Dae here wanted to travel the world."

"Yah, I still want to do that!" Jongdae wails when his ex laughs, and Minseok finishes the brew, bringing it over. 

"Enjoy!" He mutters softly, turning around to wipe at the machine, wanting to get out. They're still using nicknames, they still laugh even after years of not seeing each other, and they're still ignoring him. Minseok feels like shit, wiping at the counter for the shreds he didn't pick when Jae-guy clears his throat.

"So, if you're around, and you're free, we could go out for a cup of coffee?"

He stops wiping, holding his breath while Jongdae thinks for an answer.

"We are literally in a coffee shop."

"I know, but it doesn't have to be here."

Minseok doesn't hear Baekhyun and he knows why when the waiter moves behind the counter, coming to his side. He doesn't look at him, though, when the conversation continues. 

Jongdae shrugs, answering the man's question. "I have to go back to work now, but sure. I don't see why not."

"Awesome, it's a date then."

Minseok throws the shards back to the sink, walking out of the café. 

 

☕☕☕

 

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun find him easily. He's throwing out the trash, pretty much like yesterday, and both corner him when Jongdae turns around to get in. 

"Hey... what's up?"

"What's up?" Baekhyun throws his hands in the air, already on an edge with his behavior. "I can't do it, Soo, I'm literally moments away from killing him."

When he turns around, grabbing at his waist to calm down, Jongdae looks at Kyungsoo alarmed. "Okay, what's going on?"

"What's going on is that you just arranged a date while you still have Minseok." He spits out, calmer than Baekhyun, but still pissed.

"Whoa, whoa. I never arranged a date. Where did you get that from?" Jongdae raises both hands in a surrender, looking to Baekhyun when he spins around. 

"Oh, and what was that about? Ohh, Jae-whatever, hold me in your strong arms, feed me cookies and cream..." Baekhyun mimics his voice, going nasal. 

Jongdae checks with Kyungsoo, but he doesn't correct it. "Well?"

"He's my ex, and I don't sound like that, Baek."

Before Baekhyun throws a punch, Kyungsoo steps in. "That doesn't matter, what matters is that you can't pick your mind."

"Wait? Where's Minseok?"

"Oh, now you get it!" Baekhyun's all up in his face, ready to throw a punch or two. He's really pissed, okay. 

"Minseok's left." Kyungsoo answers, pulling Baekhyun by his apron. 

"Left?" Jongdae echoes. "Left where?"

"You should be the one knowing that."

"Well, then I'll go and find him."

"I don't think he'd want to see you. Especially now."

Jongdae looks at the calmer version of Baekhyun, his face falling. "Why?"

"Maybe you should pick up your phone. That's why."

When Jongdae looks to the caller on his phone that's still in his hand, Kyungsoo has already pulled Baekhyun inside through the kitchen. His phone stops ringing when he looks down to it, as a new incoming message goes through instead.

From: Unknown  
Hey, I hope you're still using  
the same number! :)  
It's Jaehyeon, btw <3

Jongdae groans. "Fuck!"

☕☕☕

 

Minseok walks from the bathroom, a towel hanging from his shoulders, picking up his dinner from the dinning room table on the way. His TV is on, as he hasn't planned anything for the night, instead of some reality program and greasy food. That's why he stuffs his face with homemade pasta, chewing when the program starts.

He's in his pajama, trying to be most comfortable as he leans back into the couch, letting the pillows hug him on the sides. 

Today's day was something else, and he doesn't even want to think about it. He almost started crying in the shower, but a cold water threatened him instead, so he's still holding up.

'It's not healthy,' he hears Kyungsoo whispering in his ear, but Minseok ignores it when the commercial break comes through, just in sync with the knock on his door.

"If it's Baek or Soo, I've told you already to leave me alone—" But when he opens the door, a distressed Jongdae stands on the other side. 

"Jongdae.."

"... I came here to apologize."

Minseok lets him in, walking back to mute the TV, when Jongdae stops at the couch, not sitting down. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how that seemed and—"

"Jongdae?"

Jongdae gets cut off, looking pitiful when Minseok asks. 

"Yeah?"

"What are you apologizing for?" Minseok feels his nerves on fire when he asks, and without giving him time to answer, continues. "Are you apologizing for ignoring me for the past two days or for using me all this time?"

Jongdae blanches at that, shaking his head on instant.

"Or for not clearing things out before getting back with your ex? Huh? Have I guessed it right?"

"Minseok.. that's not—"

"Can you be honest with me? Just one time?" Minseok lowers his voice, sounding broken even to Jongdae's ears. "Please."

But Jongdae surprises him. "I don't know what you want from me."

"For you to be honest.." Minseok shakes his head when he gets confused in the end, thinking how Jongdae's working this in his own favor.

"I was honest with you.. But then you set us back, and I realized that maybe it was one sided all along."

"One sided?" Minseok scoffs, really getting offended by now. "Yeah, it was. But from my side."

"Your side? What about us being roommates in the future, huh? Is that hard to picture us moving in together?"

Minseok tilts his head to the side, squinting when Jongdae rubs at his face, sounding tired but also worked up. "If you don't like where this is going, just tell me."

"Where this is going," Minseok points between them. "is another problem. Where this conversation is going right now is a problem. What are you trying to say?!"

"Look, that thing with my ex, I called it off. I'm sorry. I didn't realize how it must've looked. But you can't blame me for anything else."

Minseok splutters at that, turning around to gather a moment. It's been too long on his chest, and he needs to get it off. Finally.

"Are you sure about that? Because I can think of some things."

"Name it!"

"Why are you so afraid of making it official? Why do you run away every time I even mention a relationship?"

"I... What?"

"Jongdae, god!" Minseok pulls at his hair, not knowing where to express it. Or how. He's definitely pissed. "I've been trying to have this talk for so long, and I don't know anymore. Are we together or not? Is this for real or am I just a fuck buddy to you! Make up your mind."

Jongdae shifts from one foot to another, suddenly looking lost. He tries to say anything, but stops just before words get out, blinking rapidly. He's confused, he's lost, and maybe this is their end. 

Minseok shakes his head, huffing out at the realization. "Unbelievable."

"No, Minseok, wait!"

"What?" He turns around when Jongdae calls, and gets his face much closer than before. He's on a verge of explaining it, but Jongdae's still lost. 

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing for god's sake!" 

"I'm sorry for not talking to you!"

Minseok shuts up, feeling his heart breaking when Jongdae looks down to his hands, mulling over words. He knows where this is going, and he just needs to get it over with. He's been too tired already. 

So Minseok closes his mouth, closing his eyes as well, before saying it finally. "Let's just end it here. We can't pretend anymore."

Jongdae pulls his arm when Minseok tries to turn around, clashing their chest together. "Dae—"

"I can't leave you. Don't do this to me!"

Minseok takes his cheek in one palm, cradling it softly. "Dae, I can't pretend anymore. I need to know what you want."

"I..." But Jongdae trails off, once again. When Minseok pinches the cheek he's holding, Jongdae closes his eyes, leaning his forehead on Minseok's. "I want to hold you like this. I want to move in together— in fact I wanted to ask you to move in with me that day..." He hugs him closer, pressing their bodies more. 

"I want to wake up next to you, and see your face when I go to bed. Last night I couldn't sleep without holding you, and when you sent me that message I fell apart."

Minseok listens closely, holding back his own tears. Jongdae's eyes are full of unshed tears, and one blink is enough for some of them to spill. 

"I don't like not having you around, because whenever you're gone I just want you back. I want for you to look at me, and nobody else, and I want to give you my heart on a platter every time you smile. Gosh, I love your smile the most!"

"Dae, what are you—?"

"Minseok, I love you." He opens his eyes, looking him right back. "I love you." Jongdae says it like it's final, like he's sorry for such burden being transferred to Minseok's shoulders; like he doesn't know how to stop. "I love you and I'm sorry. I was not good to you, and I should've been better, because you deserve it, and I'm so sorry for hurting you."

Minseok feels the same twitch in his heart, whenever he looks back at Jongdae, the man he's fallen for even before getting to know him properly. He knows in his heart what he feels, but Jongdae has put it into words now. 

"Why haven't you said it earlier?" He asks, smiling when Jongdae snorts, wiping at his eyes with one hand that gets loose around his waist.

"I was afraid." Jongdae answers honestly, nodding. "I didn't know what it meant, what everything meant, but I was afraid. After all, I've never felt like this."

Minseok smiles only for him to see, leaning down onto his forehead when Jongdae pecks it. They stay in silence for a while, swaying to some song nobody hears, but everyone knows, as Jongdae holds him close. 

After a while, Jongdae ducks down to look at Minseok laying down over his collarbone, smiling when he asks. "You haven't said it back."

"After everything that you've done...." Minseok trails off, raising his eyebrows. "After arranging a date with your ex..." He tsks, moving away when Jongdae looks scandalized. 

"Yah! It's not a date if I already have a boyfriend!"

"Am I....?"

Jongdae pulls him back in, smiling that Cheshire cat smile Minseok's learned to love. "Who else."

 

 

 

☕☕☕Epilogue:☕☕☕

 

"Hello, bitches!" Luhan walks into the café with gifts from his and Yixing's trip overseas, finding nobody behind the counter. "Where is everyone..."

He walks to the kitchen, hearing noises and loud hollers. So he takes bags into one hand, pushing the door with the other. He repeats, just for fun. "Hello, bitches!"

"Luhan!" Somebody yells in glee, but everyone jumps on him for a hug, making him drop bags to the floor. 

"Ugh, guys, there was fine Chine in there.." Luhan looks at his friends, realizing that they're in the kitchen for a reason. There's a big cake on a table that's been pushed to the middle, with everyone having a cup in their hands. 

"How was the vacation? Where's Yixing?"

"I'm here, I'm here.." Their other waiter comes through the door just in time, greeting everyone with a hug too, and also bringing in more gifts for everyone. "What are we celebrating?"

"Oh, you've been away far too long!" Baekhyun exclaims, coming closer to them to show off his hand. "I'm engaged!"

Chanyeol comes closer too, showing almost identical ring on his finger too, before both Luhan and Yixing scream in glee. That only asks for another round of hugs, as they both get a drink in their hands as well. 

"Wow, we've been away far too long, I agree." Luhan cheers in their honor, turning to ask who the maid of honor would be. But he finds couples, standing on their own instead, and there's something he's missing.

"Okay, is there something else?"

"Well..." Junmyeon starts, hugging his husband closer, kissing his cheek when Sehun smiles around his head. "We're adopting actually."

"A baby boy. We're still working on the papers, but little Jungwoo is about to become a part of our family soon." Sehun finishes, and it seems like nobody knew about it either, because they all hug both Junmyeon and Sehun in a group hug, congratulating loudly. 

Some even cry—hint Jongin and Baekhyun—and every uncle has some promise to make to baby Jungwoo. 

Luhan turns to the rest. "Come on~ Spill it!"

"We're moving in together!" Both Kyungsoo and Jongin and Minseok and Jongdae say it in unison, laughing when they look at the other couple. 

"Oh, god, we're the only one not progressing.." Luhan trails off, but Yixing looks him from the side. 

"What do you mean? We got married in Fiji!" Yixing exclaims, loudly, bringing everyone's attention back on them. When everybody stops and listens, mouths hanging on the floor, does Luhan laugh awkwardly. 

"Oh, yeah..."

Just when Luhan tells everyone the story of their impromptu wedding in Fiji—'I didn't even know you two were together', a shy Jongin says—Minseok pulls Jongdae away for a moment. 

They go back to their station, the whole café in the dark, as Minseok pulls a gift from underneath. "Happy, birthday, Dae!"

Jongdae takes the little teal box from his hands, smiling when Minseok urges him to open up. 

"It's a spoon."

Minseok laughs when Jongdae looks at him curious of the reason, as he stands closer, taking the metal spoon from the cushion in the box. "It's only the first gift, but it's the most meaningful one."

"Did someone famous lick it?"

"No, you pabo." Minseok laughs again. "It's the spoon that has stirred our first brew ever." When he explains it proudly, does Jongdae slowly smile, coming closer to hug him around middle.

"Oh, really?"

"Mhm.."

"So it's like a metaphor for how our relationship started?"

"Yes, when you compared me to coffee.." They're swaying again, as Minseok watches the lights from outside casting a shadow on Jongdae's face.

"Was I too obvious?" 

Minseok nods when he asks, and leans down to press their foreheads together. 

"I love you, Jongdae…" 

It's silent, almost going along with their calm atmosphere, the empty café and their friends talking behind the kitchen door. But it means the world to Jongdae, when Minseok whispers playfully the words against his lips again. 

"And I love you, too, Minseok.."

Minseok laughs out loud, not getting tired of how that sounds. They dance a bit more behind the counter, where their station is, before Jongdae stops. 

"How can it be the same spoon, though? We've probably used it thousand of times—"

"Just kiss me, Jongdae!"

 

 

"Hey, no smooching on the job!"

Fin.. :)

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Sehun and Junmyeon become parents to a baby girl when their son turns two, and are the best parents :)
> 
> Baekhyun and Chanyeol have a spring wedding where everybody cries, and Baekhyun gets too many coffee related gifts, and a honeymoon in Rome from their best friends :)
> 
> Luhan and Yixing actually don't break up, and reveal they've been dating even before working at the cafés, surprising even more :)
> 
> Kyungsoo and Jongin are still living together, opting to open a little pastry shop on the side, but they still work at Exo. Oh, and they adopt two pupies, naming them after favorite desserts :)
> 
> And when it comes to our main couple, Minseok officially moves in with Jongdae after almost eight months of dating, as Jongdae pops the question after a year and a half of dating, making Minseok ugly cry while saying yes. They're still creating famous brews, this time around naming one 'Minnie buns' even, just because of Jongdae's admiration for the said buns :)
> 
> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Love you, xox


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